Today, I’m going to be making a simple pulse and leaf salad present in ancient Cretan - and possibly wider Hellenic - culture! It’ still eaten today, in a modern dish called “palikaria” which is eaten in the Eastern Mediterranean around feast days. Although the modern version of this dish is associated with Christian religious festivals, its likely that it arose from pre-Christian practices!
In any case, let’s now take a look at the world that was! Follow along with my YouTube video, above! If you like my recipes, consider checking out my Patreon!
Ingredients ½ cup small broad beans ½ cup chickpeas ½ cup green lentils 1 tbsp salt ½ cup olive oil ½ cup red wine vinegar parsley arugula sesame seeds
Method 1 - Soak Pulses To begin with, we need to prepare our pulses. If you’re using dried pulses, soak these overnight in some water. If you’re using them canned, simply drain them. Next, we need to wash these in salted water. Do this by placing into a pot, a half a cup of chickpeas, a half a cup of green lentils, and half a cup of broad beans (or butter beans, if you can’t get your hands on them) Pour in some water until the pulses are just submerged. Heat this slightly over a medium heat for a few minutes.
2 - Make Dressing While your pulses are soaking together, go make your salad dressing. Although probably a more modern development, it’s not unlikely that a simple olive oil and wine vinegar dressing was made and used in antiquity. In any case, quickly whisk together equal amounts of olive oil and red wine vinegar until it emulsifies into a smooth seasoning. Make sure to taste this and adjust to your preference.
3 - Toss Salad Now, we need to drain our pulses, again. The ritual washing of things in salted water (such as sea water) was a common motif in contemporary Hellenic religious practices - and it’s likely that some food types were prepared in a similar manner (particularly dishes being prepared for a ritual) Place a bed of your rocket (or arugula) leaves onto a plate, and spoon on a generous portion of your pulses. Drizzle with a bit of your dressing, and sprinkle a handful of sesame seeds onto the plate.
Serve up and dig in!
The finished dish is a simple yet filling meal, packed full of protein! The pulses used would have been available in antiquity, and archaeological records show that lentils, chickpeas, and broad beans were all cultivated in the Eastern Mediterranean since the Neolithic period - albeit in differing amounts, depending on the size of the settlement, and the quality of the soils.
AsJuleswas not home on Easter, we celebrated May Day yesterday with a bright and flavourful Spring Lunch. I had set the table in the dining room, but it was so lovely outside that, after enjoying our drinks (a Gold Rush for her and a Bee’s Knees for me) with nibbles in the sun, we ate the rest of our meal in the garden amongst the myosotis, by the Veg Patch and the apple tree! It was really nice and so was the poached salmon I served with these beautiful Broad Beans, Asparagus and Gnocchi!Happy Monday!
Gadually stir one cup of the flour into the Potato Mash. Add the egg to bind it all and work ingredients together until a soft dough forms, adding more flour if necessary. Roll small portionsofdough between your hands (approximately the size of a heaping teaspoon) and place them on a lightly floured surface. Working with one ball at a time, using your thumb, roll ball on the tines of a lightly floured fork. As you work, place gnocchionto a lightly flouredtray. When all gnocchiare ready, store them into the refigerator
In a large saucepan, bring waterto the boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, stir in coarse sea salt until dissolved.
Trim the ends of the asparagus, and add to the boiling water. Cook, 10 minutes, until tender, then lift off the saucepan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
Addbroad beans to the salted boiling water, and cook, 5 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the waterand plunge into a medium bowl filled with cold water andice cubes. Set aside.
Finally, add half of gnocchi to boiling water; cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until done (they will rise to the surface). Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon, and place in a colander to drain. Keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining gnocchi.
Peelbroad beans. Cut asparagus.
Meltbutterwitholive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once foaming, add Dried Lemon Thyme anddried rosemary, cook 1 minute. Then, stir broad beansandasparagus, and sauté, to coat in butter. Finally, stir in gnocchi. Cook, until hot, a few minutes.
ServeRosemary and Thyme Butter Broad Beans, Asparagus and Gnocchi hot, sprinkled with grated ParmesanandLemon Zest, as a side toPoached Salmonor Rosemary and Honey Roast Lamb.
Yesterday was chill, but today is a proper Spring day, warm with an expense of blue sky and heaps of sunshine. It’s a day to enjoy lunch in the garden, amidst the fragrant blossoms and the pop of colours blooming flowers paint on the grass, enjoying the light and observing the birds or reading a good book. This simple, hearty and bright Springtime Chicken Pasta Salad makes this even easier, turning Sunday’s leftovers into a generous and flavourful quick meal! Happy Tuesday!
Ingredients (serves 1):
½ cup frozen broad beans
1 ¾ cup cold, cooked whole-wheat pasta (such as penne, farfalle or fusilli)
Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add broad beans, and cook, about 5 minutes. Drain broad beans, and immediately plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and cool. Set aside.
Spooncold penne into a medium bowl. Add leftoverRosemary Cougette slices (about half a large courgette).
Peelbroad beans.
RemoveRosemary Roasted Chicken meatfrom the bones, and cut into small chunks. Addcold Chicken chunks to the bowl. Add reserved broad beans, and drizzle generously withLemon Dressing. Toss gently to combine and coat in Dressing. Garnish with freshly picked chervil, if desired.
ChillSpringtime Chicken Pasta Salad, at least half an hour in the refrigerator, before enjoying, with a glass of chilled white wine, like ChardonnayorSauvignon Blanc.
This light and tasty Grapefruit, Prawn and Feta Salad makes an excellent and refreshing lunch on a sunny day. Perfect after a spot of gardening or flower-picking. Have a good one!
In a medium bowl, combine linseed oil andhoney. Add black pepper and just a pinch of salt. Give a good stir, to combine. Thoroughly squeeze in the juice of the lemon halve. Whisk until well-blended.
Peel the prawnsand add them to the bowl.
Finely chop Green Onion, and add to the bowl as well, saving a bit of the chopped green part, for garnish. Toss well to coat prawnsindressing. Place in the refrigerator, and chill, for at least half an hour.
Meanwhile,
Retrieve the prawnsfrom the refrigerator. Peel broad beans, and add to the bowl. Toss to combine and coat in dressing.
Roughly chop lettuceand add to the bowl. Scoop grapefruit flesh with a spoon, and add to the bowl as well. Toss gently, to mix.
Spoonsaladinto serving plate. Crumble Fetaon top, and sprinkle with reserved chopped green part of the Green Onion.
EnjoyGrapefruit, Prawn and Feta Salad with a glass of chilled dry white wine, like a South African Chardonnay or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Yesterday was chill, but today is a proper Spring day, warm with an expense of blue sky and heaps of sunshine. It’s a day to enjoy lunch in the garden, amidst the fragrant blossoms and the pop of colours blooming flowers paint on the grass, enjoying the light and observing the birds or reading a good book. This simple, hearty and bright Springtime Chicken Pasta Salad makes this even easier, turning Sunday’s leftovers into a generous and flavourful quick meal! Happy Tuesday!
Ingredients (serves 1):
½ cup frozen broad beans
1 ¾ cup cold, cooked whole-wheat pasta (such as penne, farfalle or fusilli)
Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add broad beans, and cook, about 5 minutes. Drain broad beans, and immediately plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and cool. Set aside.
Spooncold penne into a medium bowl. Add leftoverRosemary Cougette slices (about half a large courgette).
Peelbroad beans.
RemoveRosemary Roasted Chicken meatfrom the bones, and cut into small chunks. Addcold Chicken chunks to the bowl. Add reserved broad beans, and drizzle generously withLemon Dressing. Toss gently to combine and coat in Dressing. Garnish with freshly picked chervil, if desired.
ChillSpringtime Chicken Pasta Salad, at least half an hour in the refrigerator, before enjoying, with a glass of chilled white wine, like ChardonnayorSauvignon Blanc.
